Raising Good Humans

Are You Oversharing With Your Kids — or Not Sharing Enough?

29 snips
Apr 24, 2026
Leslie John, Harvard Business School behavioral scientist and author of Revealing, studies privacy and self-disclosure. She flips the script on oversharing and explores why holding back hurts connection. Short takes cover adaptive revealing, teaching emotional literacy to kids, timing disclosures by relationship, and simple ways to invite honest conversation and curiosity.
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INSIGHT

Emotional Literacy Is The Foundation For Revealing

  • Emotional literacy underpins revealing: you can't share feelings you can't name.
  • John learned in therapy (and via an emotions wheel) that labeling subtle emotions is a prerequisite to meaningful disclosure.
ADVICE

Tell Kids Simple Reasons For Your Mood

  • Share age-appropriate adult feelings with kids to avoid gaslighting them about your mood.
  • John gives brief, simple explanations like 'I have a deadline and I'm stressed' so children understand you're regulated and not theirs to fix.
ANECDOTE

Telling Kids You Cry Removed Their Fear

  • Aliza Pressman described telling her kids she cried and explaining it so they wouldn't be alarmed.
  • Her oldest reacted surprised, prompting Pressman to tell them she's a person who cries but can still take care of them.
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